Swans Commentary http://www.swans.com/ August 24, 2009
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Note from the Editors: If you landed on Swans while searching for an
answer to whether Michael Jackson had a nose when he died, or if it's
appropriate for a First Lady to don shorts; if you're looking for the
scoop on John Edward's love child or Mark Sanford's mistress, you've
come to the right place! Because it's time to turn off the television
and redirect your attention to matters that matter... For example, why
is US foreign policy so focused on Afghanistan (and Iraq, and
Yugoslavia...)? The answer is neither new nor "democracy" -- but if you
need a geopolitical primer read Gilles d'Aymery's treatment of the
spectacle and reality of the West's Eurasia interests. Nor did Hillary
Clinton visit Africa recently to export democracy - - as Femi Akomolafe
reports from Ghana, she did what Western leaders always do best...when
it comes to colonialism and imperialism. And if you're a post- racial
liberal, you'll find Michael Barker's research on liberal
philanthropy's cooption of anti-racism activism an eye-opener.
Britons are rightly concerned about their military presence in
Afghanistan and the rise in casualties, while being fed the same "fight
them there so we don't have to fight them here" rhetoric. Peter Byrne
considers the aftermath of terrorism in London and New York, along with
the novelists capitalizing on the new wealth of material. Time to put
down the terror novels and pick up Tiziano Terzani's *Letters Against
the War.* Martin Murie continues his exploration of this powerful
collection, with a review of Terzani's letter from Afghanistan in the
days following 9/11. Jan Baughman takes a sardonic stab at the "death
by socialism" rhetoric that's infecting the health care debate; while
Charles Marowitz challenges our president (with his sharp tongue --
certainly not a gun) to take off his community-organizer /
coalition-builder hat and put serious pressure on Congress for reform.
And for a Kafkaesque moment, Michael Doliner follows Franz's confused
spiritual journey in the midst of the Enlightenment and revolution.
*Dans le coin français,* Graham Lea concludes his colorful observations
on the riders, politics, and pharmacology of the 2009 Tour de France;
Xavier Robert examines our role in making the planet uninhabitable and
our responsibility to reverse course; Marie Rennard shows how
liberalism is trumping solidarity and failing retirees; Patrice Houzeau
pens a lunar- inspired literary fantasy; and we share the 1753
anti-Twitterati, legendary discourse of Mr. de Buffon on style and
prose. The poetry corner is enriched by Guido Monte, who considers the
mystery of the universe; Jeffery Klaehn, who exalts a mysterious love;
and Art Shay, who recalls his former photographic subject, the
recently-departed Robert McNamara. The looming departure of summer
means the ramping up of football -- Raju Peddada reviews the diluted
state of the game. Finally, we close with your letters, on Saul
Bellows, the Cash for Clunkers scam, and more.
# # # # #
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/ga271.html Eurasian Spectacle And
Reality - Gilles d'Aymery
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/femia17.html Oh, Shut Up, Mrs.
Clinton! - Femi Akomolafe
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/barker29.html Liberal Foundations
And Anti-Racism Activism - Michael Barker
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/pbyrne107.html Counting The Dead In
London - Peter Byrne
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/murie77.html An Opportunity - Martin
Murie
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/jeb210.html Death By Socialism - Jan
Baughman
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/cmarow145.html "Yes We Can" -- But
We Won't! - Charles Marowitz
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/mdolin46.html How Kafka Became So
Kafkaesque - Michael Doliner
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/glea06.html Le Tour De France --
Part Two: So were the Riders all Heroes? - Graham Lea
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/xavier01.html Gaïa et ses prophètes
- Xavier Robert (FR)
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/marier36.html Libéralisme et
Solidarité : Quand le système faut - Marie Rennard (FR)
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/houzeau01.html Douze brefs lunaires
et d'autres lieux - Patrice Houzeau (FR)
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/xxx136.html Discours sur le style -
Georges-Louis Leclerc, comte de Buffon (FR)
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/gmonte74.html Mystery Of The
Universe - Multilingual Poetry by Guido Monte
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/klaehn01.html So In Love - Poem by
Jeffery Klaehn
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/ashay13.html Snapshot Of A Strange
(Love?) Before His Time - Poem by Art Shay
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/rajup19.html Is The NFL Losing Its
Game? - Raju Peddada
http://www.swans.com/library/art15/letter172.html Letters to the Editor
# # # # #
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